15 summer food hacks to save you time and money

Not only will the pizzas taste great with a bit of smokiness but they also make nice fillers for hungry guests waiting for their burgers.

2. Throw some fresh herbs onto the barbecue

If you have a coal barbecue, add some aromatic fresh herbs like sage or rosemary to add extra flavour. It will make your garden smell amazing too.

3. Grease your grill beforehand

Try using a flavoured oil to grease your grill. It will add seasoning as well as stopping nasty bits of charred food getting stuck.

4. Invest to in two pairs of BBQ tongs

Get one with long arms for turning coals and another one with good grip for flipping the burgers. This will stop gritty bits of coal getting in your food.

5. Veg parcels for veggies

Not sure what to barbecue for your vegetarian family and friends? You can wrap nearly anything in foil and stick it on the barbecue. Try using peppers filled with feta or mushrooms cooked in garlic and herbs.

6. Freeze grapes to chill wine

Putting ice cubes in wine will water it down but frozen grapes will keep the flavour as well as chilling the glass. This works well in water and kids juices too.

7. Clean the grill with an onion

Don't fork out for pricey products to clean up your barbecue. Instead, while the grill is still quite warm, stick half an onion on a barbecue fork and scrub away. The oils in the onion will get off the worst of any stuck on food and will provide a nice seasoning for next time.

8. Make your own marinade

No need to pay over the odds for a shop-bought marinade when you can cheaply and quickly make your own. A simple recipe is ketchup, water, vinegar, wholegrain mustard, Worcestershire sauce and a little brown sugar.

9. Put cupcake cases over drinks

Poke a hole through a cupcake case and rest it over your glass to make a pretty bug barrier. This also works for putting under ice lollies to catch the unwanted sticky drips.

10. Store salads in mason jars

Ditch the Tupperware and instead store salads in mason jars to keep them fresh and beautiful.

11. Freeze your yogurts

If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to satisfy your kids’ ice cream cravings, freeze yoghurt pots with a lolly stick in the centre.12. Shower curtain under blanket

You can never trust the British weather to behave itself so if you’re heading out for a picnic after a typical summertime downpour, pop a shower curtain or tarpaulin under your blanket to avoid any soggy bottoms.13. Double up on skewers

Add two skewers to your kebabs, especially chunkier ones. This will stop the food from spinning when you turn them on the grill.

14. Use your barbecue for pudding

Don't revert back to the oven when it gets to dessert time. Roasted pineapple or bananas filled with chocolate chips on the barbecue make delicious alternatives to summer puddings.

15. Crisp packet bowls

Save on washing up by making your own crisp packet bowls. Simply push the bag upwards inside itself for easy snack access.